Hopple with adjusting device and clamp means therefor



March 23, 1965 F. CALDERHEAD 3,174,261

HOPPLE WITH ADJUSTING DEVICE AND CLAMP MEANS THEREFOR Filed Jan. 11, 1963 A v i as i 62 ll z Forresf Ga/der/read 1N VEN TOR United States Patent 3,174,261 7 V HOPPLE WITH ADJUSTING DEVICE AND CLAMP MEANS THEREFOR Forrest Calderhead, Wilmington, Del. (RD. 2, Box 131-A, Glen Mills, Pa.) Filed Jan. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 256,8?3 6 Claims. (Ci. 54-71) The present invention relates to an adaptable racing hopple for controllably pacing the gait of a trotting horse and has to do, more particularly, with a pair of harness-supported correspondingly constructed hopples, one for the front and hind legs at the left side of the horse and the other one for the front and hind legs at the right side.

Persons conversant with trotting horse pacing problems are aware that a conventional-type hopple, generally construed, comprises horizontally disposed spaced parallel hopples or hopple units which are such in construction that each unit or hopple is provided at the forward end with a front leg encircling and fettering loop and at the rear or trailing end with a hind leg encircling and fettering loop. The adjacent or inward end portions of these leg loops are adjustably interconnected in one way or another by strap means or the like. It is also customary in the art to balance and suspend the respective left and right hopples through the medium of fore, aft and intermediate over-the-body hopple positioning straps which are commonly referred to in the art as the harnessing means. Then, too, lead-ups are employed for separably and adjustably attaching the lower ends of the harnessing straps to the outward ends of the respective loops as well as to the inward ends thereof. Typical prior reference patents which may be, if desired, referred to are Curley 1,212,023 of January 9, 1917, and Jackson 2,500,079 of March 7, 1950, both disclosing harness-suspended left and right hopples.

It is an object in the instant matter to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon similarly constructed and performing prior art hopples and, in doing so, to provide a construction in which manufacturers will find their manufacturing requirements and economies effectually evaluated, retailers will find their customer supply requirements properly taken into account and purchasers will find their needs aptly met.

In carrying out the preferred embodiment of the overall or complete hopple construction the aforementioned harnessing means is unchanged. It follows that, more specifically stated, the invention resides primarily in the hopple units and, in fact, in a single hopple unit which may be regarded as for left or right side use, as the case may be.

One improvement resides, for example, in the front and rear leg-encircling loops which are preferably of an appropriate grade of durable plastic material and wherein the inner converging ends of each loop are connected with terminal ends of novel strap means which is associated in a novel and reliable manner with a two-part clamping device which serves not only as a clamp but as novel coupling means for the adjacent end portion of the adjustable strap means which is arranged between the respective forward and rearward clamps in a manner which eliminates loose joints.

Further novelty is predicated on a sectional or two part aluminum or equivalent clamp wherein the component parts have their adjacent mating surfaces properly designed and contoured for the purposes needed and more particularly wherein the top part or section of the clamp is grooved and provided with a horizontal assembling and hinging pin which serves to accommodate a vertical pivotally mounted cleat, said cleat providing an anchor for a strap having a buckle, the buckle-equipped strap and 3,174,261 Patented Mar. 23, 1965 cleat providing a lead-up to which the coacting lower end of the inverted U-shaped over-body harness strap is connectible. This hinged cleat-equipped center lead-up provides a smooth glide for the hopple and by reason of the fact that it functions in the direction in which the horse is moving it assures a well balanced self-levelling performance.

The invention also features a novel sleeve-type adjusting device for the strap means which affords a reliable and durable adjustable connection between the forward and rearward clamps in a manner which will be more particularly set forth in the following description.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing the overall or complete harness-equipped hopple constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the essential component parts of the forward end portion of one hopple 0r hopple unit;

FIGURE 3 is a similar enlarged view in section and elevation showing the rearward end portion of this same hopple or hopple unit;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail view in section and elevation taken on the plane of the section line 44 of FlGURE 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing the component parts which go to make up one of the aforementioned clamps or couplings and the component parts which are directly cooperable therewith.

Reference will be made first to FIG. 1. The opposed spaced parallel generally coplanar hopples or hopple units are denoted by the numerals 8 and lil, respectively each being the same in construction. One unit may be considered as the left side unit and the other one as the right side unit. Inasmuch as both hopples or units 8 and Iii are the same in construction a description of one will sufilce for both. These hopples are balanced and suspended by the aforementioned harness means comprising front harness straps 12, rear harness straps 14 and intervening or intermediate over-the-body inverted U-shaped straps 1d and 18, respectively. The front leg encircling loop is denoted by the numeral 2% and the correspondingly constructed hind leg encircling loop by the numeral 22. These loops are provided at their bight portions with suitable lead-up tabs 24 secured in place at 26 and having buckles 28 for the coacting lower ends of the fore and aft straps l2 and 14, respectively.

The converging free end portions of the respective leg loops are connected in a manner to be later described, to novel clamps or couplings identified as forward and rearward clamps, each denoted as a unit by the numeral 3%. These clamps serve to assemble and join adjustable strap means designated generally at 32. The lower ends of the inverted U-shaped or intermediate straps are connected to their respective clamps 36 through the medium of novel lead-ups 34. To this end each lead-up (see FIG. 4) comprises a vertical rigid anchoring cleat or plate 3-5 (generally rectangular) having a slot 38 to which a suitable buckle-equipped strap 40 is connected. The lower end portion of the cleat has downwardly sloping or beveled edges 42 converging as at 44 and apertured for connection with a horizontal anchoring and hinging pin 46.

Each clamp 39 comprises a truncated triangulate lower section 48 whose upper side has spaced keeper grooves 59 which are registrable with companion keeper grooves 52 in the bottom side (FIG. 5) of the upper clamp section 56. These sections 48 and 55 are separably bolted together at 5% (H6. 4). The mating surfaces of the sections 48 and 56 are hollowed out to accommodatingly receive a vertical strap attaching roller 60, carried by an attaching aiid retaining bolt 62 (FIGS. 4 and 5). It will be noted. that the upper side of the upper clamp section is bifurcated to provide fu'rcations 64 which in turn define and provide an open-ended adapter channel for the beveled lower end of the cleat 36. The anchoring and hinging pin is suitably joined to the furcations 64, spans the channel and hingedly confines the cleat so that it and its strap (the lead-up) can oscillate or swingin a vertical plane on a horizontal axis; that is, rock forwardly and rearwardly. Accordingly, these novelly mounted lead-ups 34 are hinged to move with the direction of the horse and give a significantly uniform level performance. With further reference to FIG. 5, note the uniquely bent and performing strap unit 66 which is bent upon itself at 68 for attachment thereto of a rectangular link 70. The end portions 72 of this strap are stitched to an intervening looped part 74 having a reentrant bend or bent portion 76 which is looped and hitched around the roller 69 in the manner detailed in FIG. 4.

The leg loops are substantially the same in construction and are made of tubular plastic material of requisite quality and strength. The tubular construction is best shown at the left in FIG. 5. The terminal ends 7 8 are fitted telescopically into the socket-like end portions 89 of the aforementioned leg loop and these components 78 and 80 are fitted into the coacting grooves 50 and 52 and when the clamp sections are bolted together the components are tightly clenched and bound into the desired entity. The clamp also serves to accommodate a companion or auxiliary which is denoted at 82 and which is bent upon itself between its ends as at 84 and which in practice is disposed alongside the adjacent strap portion 72, is stitched thereto, and carries, a simple belt loop 86. This belt loop serves to embrace the side-by-side portions 88 and 90 of the main strap 92 of the adjustable main strap means 32. This adaptable arrangement is brought out in FIG. 2 wherein it will be seen that the bent end portion 94 of the strap 92 is passed through the link '70. The bent end portion 96 (shown in full lines in FIG. 4 and dotted lines in FIG. 3) surrounds or is anchored on the roller 60 and the terminal portion 98 is stitched in place. This strap means 92 serves to accommodate another strap 1% which is stitched thereto and has a looped end 102 passing through a slot 104 provided therefor in an adjusting sleeve 106. This sleeve (FIG. 3) is novel and serves to accommodate the adjustable free or tip portion 1tl8 of the strap means 92 which. end portion is securely held by an L.

shaped insert 110 having a serrated limb portion 112 fitting slidingly into the sleeve and wedged and bound against the cooperating portion of the adjustable end of the strap and which is held in place in setscrews 114 carried by the sleeve. It will be seen, therefore, that the strap means 3?. is actually made up of a plurality of component straps 66, 82, 92 and 109 which coact'in providing a longitudinally extensible and retractible strap connection between the two clamps or couplings 30. The clamps or couplings not only have the purpose of accommodating the strap components which are sandwiched and clamped therebetween but they also serve as the holddown means for the pivoted buckle-equipped lead-ups 34 for the center harnessing straps 16 and 13.

It is believed that by considering the overall ready-touse means depicted in FIG. 1 the manner of applying and using the invention will no doubt be clear. In fact and as already pointed out the harnessing straps 12, 14, 16 and 18 are more or less conventional and are connected at their lower ends to forward, rearward and intermediate lead-ups which are also customarily used in the prior art but are differently constructed in the instant presentation. This is particularly so as already stressed and insofar as the hingedly mounted lead-ups are connected. It is new in the art to hingedly mount buckle-equipped lead-ups 34 on paired forward and rearward clamps 30 provided at the inner adjacent ends of forward and rearward leg encircling loops 20 and 22. The manner of assembling the component sections or parts 48 and 56 of the clamps or coupling devices is believed to be reasonably clear after having considered the description in conjunction with FIG. 5. In any event novelty is predicated on the manner of clamping strap components between the clamp sections to obtain reliable anchorage of the leg loops 20 and 22 and in providing reliable anchorage for the respective forward and rearward end portions of the adjustable strap means 32.

It is submitted that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the views of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction of the component parts and the manner in which they are assembled for best result. Therefore, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A hopple comprising, in combination, a forward clamp, a rearward clamp, strap means interposed between and connected with the respective clamps, said strap means being adjustable to move the clamps toward and from each other, a forward leg loop having rearward ends connected to the front clamp, a hind leg loop having forward ends connected to a rearward end of the rearward clamp, a vertically disposed cleat provided with a buckleequipped strap, said cleat and strap coacting and providing a lead-up, each clamp having a top section bifurcated and the furcations defining a channel, a horizontal pivot pin fixed to and carried by said furcations and spanning said'channel, said cleat having a lower end portion with marginally beveled edges confined in said channel between said furcations and hingedly anchored on said pivot pin, whereby said lead-up is capable of oscillating forwardly and rearwardly relative to said clamp.

2. A hopple comprising, in combination, a forward clamp, a rearward clamp, strap means interposed between and connected with the respective clamps, said strap means being adjustable to move the clamps toward and from each other, a forward leg loop having rearward ends con nected to the front clamp, a hind leg loop having forward ends connected to a rearward end of the rearward clamp, each clamp being provided with a cleat, said cleat being provided with a buckle-equipped strap, said cleat and strap constituting a lead-up which serves to accommodate one cooperable end portion of an over-the-body hopple harnessing strap, each clamp being bifurcated and the furcations defining an open-ended channel, a pivot pin carried by the furcations and spanning the channel, said cleat being mounted on said pivot pin and having a lower end portion with beveled surfaces which permit forward and rearward swinging movement of the cleat to take place.

3. The structure according to claim 2 and wherein said strap means embodies a plurality of cooperable components, one of said components being cooperatively associated with said forward clamp and being bent upon itself between its ends and having free forward ends separably connected with the respective rearward ends of said front leg loop, also having a median looped portion nested and secured between said free ends, the latter and. also said looped portion being secured to said forward clamp, a link secured to the rearward end of said one strap component, said strap means further including another component, namely, an elongated strap doubled upon itself with a forward doubled end portion passing through and connected to said link and a rearward end portion an chored on and thus connected to said rearward clamp.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, and wherein said elongated strap has overlapping end portions pressed together and separably and adjnstably buckled together by adjusting and fastening means comprising a rigid sleeve embracing the cooperatin strap end portions, a rigid inser-table and removable member fitted into said sleeve, and set screws carried by said sleeve and, when tightened, forcibly binding said member against said overlapping end portions.

5. For use in and as a significant part of a trotting horses gait pacing harness; a hopple comprising a front clamp having upper and lower sections provided with a coacting keeper, a hitching roller interposed between said sections, a first strap unit having (1) a forward end portion provided with an attaching and retaining loop removably embracing and anchored on said roller (2) free terminal end portions projecting forwardly beyond said loop and seated in their respectively provided grooves and having (3) a rearward portion projecting beyond a rearward end of said front clamp and provided with an attached link, a second strap unit auxiliary to and flanking and attached to said rearward end portion and terminating at a rearward end in a belt-loop which is proximal to and spaced rearwardly of said link and is cooperable therewith, said units being unified and joined to said front clamp when said sections are positively joined together, a rear clamp complemental to said front clamp, a third strap unit comprising a relatively long length of strap having a rearward terminal end affixed to said rear clamp, having a median portion laced through said belt loop, through said link and bent rearwardly upon itself and passed rearwardly and again laced through and rearwardly beyond said belt loop, cooperating rearward end portions of said third strap unit being slidingly overlapped, belt buckling and fastening means comprising a rigid sleeve, said sleeve encompassing and overlapping end portions and being fixedly strapped and secured to said rearward terminal end, a binding and clamping insert having a rigid portion fitted into said sleeve and firmly pressing said overlapping portions together, and setscrews carried by said sleeve and when tightened forcibly binding said insert against said overlapping portions, each clamp being bifurcated and the functions defining an open-ended channel, a horizontal pivot pin carried by the furcations and spanning said channel, a cleat provided with a buckle-equipped strap, said cleat and strap constituting a lead-up and being connected to a cooperating lower end of the associated intermediate suspension strap, said cleat having a lower end portion confined in the channel between the furcations and said lower end portion having forward and rearward downwardly converging bevels and said beveled end portion being hingedly joined to said pivot pin and permitting the cleat to rock back and forth.

6. A hopple comprising, in combination, a forward clamp, a companion and complemental rearward clamp, strap means interposed in a generally horizontal plane between and connected at forward and rearward ends with the respective clamps, said strap means being manually adjustable in a manner to move said clamps toward and from each other, a front leg loop having rearward ends connected to said forward clamp, a hind leg loop having forward ends connected to a rearward end portion of said rearward clamp, each clamp being horizontally elongated and having a top portion provided with a longitudinally disposed upwardly opening channel, a rigid vertically disposed cleat having a lower end portion aligned with and pivotally anchored on a horizontal axes in said channel, the lower marginal edge portions of said cleat being delineated and affording clearance between said lower edge portion and the bottom of said channel so that said cleat is capable of rocking forwardly and rearwardly to vary its verticality relative to the horizontality of the cooperable clamp, an upper portion of said cleat projecting above the plane of the top portion of said clamp and being provided with a slot, and a buckleequipped strap connected with the slotted portion of said cleat and cooperating with the latter in providing an adjustable lead-up. 

1. A HOPPLE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FORWARD CLAMP, A REARWARD CLAMP, STRAP MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN AND CONNECTED WITH THE RESPECTIVE CLAMPS, SAID STRAP MEANS BEING ADJUSTABLE TO MOVE THE CLAMPS TOWARD AND FROM EACH OTHER, A FORWARD LEG LOOP HAVING REARWARD ENDS CONNECTED TO THE FRONT CLAMP, A HIND LEG LOOP HAVING FORWARD ENDS CONNECTED TO A REARWARD END OF THE REARWARD CLAMP, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED CLEAT PROVIDED WITH A BUCKLEEQUIPPED STRAP, SAID CLEAT AND STRAP COACTING AND PROVIDING A LEAD-UP, EACH CLAMP HAVING A TOP SECTION BIFURCATED AND THE FURCATIONS DEFINING A CHANNEL, A HORIZONTAL PIVOT PIN FIXED TO AND CARRIED BY SAID FURCATIONS AND SPANNING SAID CHANNEL, SAID CLEAT HAVING A LOWER END PORTION WITH MARGINALLY BEVELED EDGES CONFINED IN SAID CHANNEL BETWEEN SAID FURCATIONS AND HINGEDLY ANCHORED ON SAID PIVOT PIN, WHEREBY SAID LEAD-UP IS CAPABLE OF OSCILLATING FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID CLAMP. 